Machine



(No Model.) 7 SheetsSheet '-1.

L. A. DESY.

DITGHING MACHINE. No. 360,282. Patqnted Mar. 29, 1887.

(No Model.) 7 SheetsSheet 2,

L. A. DESY.

DITGHING MACHINE. No. 360,282. Patented M51129, 1887.

N PETERS wow-mu my. Washington. v.0,

(NQ Model 7 Sheets-Sheet 3. L. A. DEST- DITCHING MACHINE.

Patented Ma1n29, 1887.

7- Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

L. A. DESY. DITGHING MACHINE.

No; 360,282. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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N. PETERS. Phamumn n hor. wnhin mn, D. c.

(No Model.) I 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

. L. A. DESY.

DITOHING MACHINE. No. 360,282. I Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

N. PETERS. PhowLima n hu. vvmhi'n nnnnnn c.

(No Model.) I 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

L. A. DESY. DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 360,282. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

Wm V L N. PETERs. Phowmm m hur, Waminglun. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS ARSENE OF VVINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,282, dated March 29, 1887.

, Application filed June 11, 1885. Serial No. 168,419. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Louis ARSENE DESY, a subject of the Crown of Great Britain, residing at WVinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to that class of ditching-machines which move themselves on the ground and excavate a ditch in the path of the machine.

The invention has for its object to dig a trench of a given slant on its side embankments, toraise the earth from the-ditch, and to discharge it to one side thereof.

To this end it consists in means for guiding the propelling-wheels;. means for raising and lowering the rear end of the machine,-thereby gaging the depth of ditch; means for rotating the excavator from side to side on a vertical pivot, whereby a deep central groove with equally-inclined banks will be dug, and means for advancing the machine intermittently at times having a fixed relation to the semi-rota tions of the excavator, as hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my ditchingmachine in position for work. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a rear View, of the same. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the rear end of the machine. Fig. 5 is a general side elevation of the machine in condition for travel. Figs. 6 and 7sh0w the same with the scoop-guide in place, making ditches of different depths. Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views showing the excavator and earth-carrier in different positions. tudinal sectional elevation of a scoop and the cleaning device therefor. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a scoop, showing its attachment to the'chain-belts. Fig. 12 is a front end view of the same, partly in section. Fig. 13 is a plan view, half in section, of a bucket, one side chain, and the chain-track on the other side. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the steering apparatus. Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view through one of the front trucks. Fig. 15 is a plan view; and Fig. 16 is a transverse vertical section midway the machine, showing the timing device which governs the forward feed or advance of the machine. Fig.

Fig. 10 is a longi-' 16 is a cross-section through the screw-shaft 0 Fig. 16 are sectional side viewsof the screw-shaft O and nut Q, showing the relative Fig. 17 is an enlarged elevation of a shiftertripping device shown in Fig. 4.

A represents the frame of the machine,which is mounted on three trucks, B B 0. Each around which travels a belt, D, made up of staves secured at their ends upon chains. These stave-belts are common as an expedient for giving the wheels greater bearing-surface for the purpose of supporting very heavy vehicles upon soft earth.

' D represents a series of rollers j ournaled to the truck in a horizontal plane between the wheels B, to give greater bearing-surface to the stave-belt on the machine. Each of the forward trucks B is centrally pivoted to the frame A on a vertical axis, E, Figs. 1 and 14, and provided with a toothed segment, E, engaged by a pinion, E which communicates with ahand-leve1-,E by means of beveled gears whereby the trucks B, both acted upon at once, may be turned to the right or left by the operator to guide the machine. When the trucks have been set either for a straight line or a curve, the machine will continue to follow that course until the course of the guide-trucks is changed.

F isa spur-wheel secured upon one wheel, B, of each forward truck.

F is a pinion, gearing through intermedithe truck-frame. F Fig. 14, represents a pair of beveled gears, which receive power from the engine G through. a shaft, F. The wheels F are connected with the pinion F by a shaft, F which is provided with universal joints F, and with a splined telescoping joint, F By this means the beveled wheels F may bejournaled in fixed bearings in the frame of tion to the pinion F,whose bearings move out of line therewith, and change in distance therefrom in following the angle of the trucks, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 14. H, Fig. 1, represents aseries of scoops mounted on chains H, Figs. 11, 12, and 13, which are provided with rollers H fitted to run in shields orholpositions for different directions of travel.

truck consists of two broad faced wheels, B,

E, a shaft, E, and a pawl and ratchet, E,

ate wheels with the wheel F, audjournaledin the machine, and yet communicate rotary mo- ICO I low rails H. The scoops H and chains 11 areditch upward after the full depth of the ditch has been started. All of that portion of the excavator H H H shown below the plane of L V V H is removable from the machine to be out of the way, as in Fig.5, in traveling from place to place. When in use, this portion'always dependsbelow the/frame to the distance shown. The truck 0, Figs. 1 and 3, is transversely pivoted at O in a verticallyadjustable frame, so as to remain level, or with both its wheels on the ground on any incline fore and aft, whether the machine-frame is level, asin Fig. 5, or inclined forward or rearward, as in Figs. 6 and 'Z, respectively.

0 Fig. 3, is an elevating-screw fixed in the frame-C, so that a screw-nut, C, which is a spur gear-wheel journaled in.the frame A, may be revolved thereon by the hand-wheel G and pinion 0, Figs. land 4, to raise orlower the rear end of the frame A and the-excavator thereto attached. The truck G travels directlyin the path ofthe excavator-that is, onthe bottom of the ditch. The chain of scoops makes'a number of revolutions to each revolution of the advancing drive-wheels B, so as to fully clear the earth from the ditch. The

rear end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 5, has to be raised high up on theltruck G by the screw 0 to admit the excavator. Now, if the machine be started and the excavator be setto cut a little lower than the wheels of trucks 0, the advance of the machine will cause the said truck to gradually descend'in the. path dug rise upon, so that the excavator will be 'gradually raised out of the ground as it advances.

The rapidity of descent into the ground and rise out of it depends on the amount which the excavator is set lower or higher than the tread of the truck 0. The whole excavator H H is mounted on'a vertical axis, J, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, and a semicircular track, J, in the frame A, and is geared to oscillate on this .semicircle while slowly and intermittently advancing. Thus the front end of the ditch is in the form of an inverted conic frustum vertically bisected transversely to the ditch.

J, Figs! 1, 2, and 4, is ahalf-circular toothed segmentmounted on the axis J, engaged bya pinion, J Fig. 4,which is connected by shafts J and J, and beveled gears thereon with-a reversing clutch-gear, K, on a shalt-K. This shaft'K is continually revolved in one direction by atrain of gear wheels, K, connecting, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) through shafts 5 and 6 and bevel-gears 7 and 2, with'pulley G, which is revolved by-the engine, as'before described.

By this means the axis J and the excavator mounted thereonare revolved. This revolution islimited to oscillating 'in a half-circle, as follows: At each extremity of the segment J a pin, J Figs". 2 and4, is fixed to engage a lug, L, on a rod, L, connected with ashifter, L, by means of a reversing-lever, L a balance-lever, L, and aconnecting-rod, L L

represents twosprings secured at their-outer endsupon the shifter L to slide to and fro therewith.

M, Figs. 17 and 4, is a wedge-block having awedge at eachv end, and-a shouldered block,

M,- rising in the middle above the butts of the wedges. This wedge-block is connected-by a link or rod, M, with the balance -lever L.. The beveledgears-K are splined to slide upon the shaft K, to engage either edge of a beveled gear on shaft Jiwherebya continuous revolution'of shaft K in one direction may be trans- 'mitted -to shaftJ, to revolve the latter in either direction, whereby the segment J is' reciprocated. When the segment in its revolutions approaches either extremity of its movement, one of the pins J strikes the lug L, and through the connections described tilts the lever L, whereby the wedge M is driven under one of'the springs L raising it so that a wing, M, thereof is above a fixed catch-block, M

Th'enthe continued motion of thelever L,

pushingthe block M against the endof the raised spring, drives it and the shifter-rod L to which it is attached, along, thus disengag.

ing one of the gears .K and engaging the other with the gear on shaft J This reverses the motion of the segment J, and the wing M on the other spring L catching on one of the blocksM holds the clutch-gears engaged until the oppositepin, J", arrives at the lug L,

,when this other spring L will be released and the operations reversed. The weight'at the 3 end of lever L causes it tofall to either end of its arc of motion when tipped past center, thus quickly engaging and disengaging the gears when once started. ,The segment J" and the pins J bear such relation to theexcavator that the shifting takes place when the excavator-scoops reach each side of the ditch. To automatically raise or lower the frame A upon the screw 0 the spur-wheel O is revolved by the pinion O on the shaft of the hand-wheel 0 when a beveled wheel, N, on the shaft. of the hand-wheel'is engaged by a beveled wheel on the coupling-shaft N. The said shaft N isjournaled in a frame, N which is pivoted to swing the wheels on the shaft into and out of engagement with the beveled wheels N and N. The wheel N being on the same shaft as the wheel J willbe revolved one way half the time and the other way half the time while at work, as before described, so that if the wheels N and N 'be connected at one time the frame A will be raised, while if they be connected and an elbow-lever, N with the hand-lever N, Fig. 1, whereby the operator may oper-v ate the screw-nut 0* at will. I find the excavator works to the best advantage when the machine is advanced intermittently while the excavator is working at the sides of the ditch first at one side then at the other, so that a slice of even thickness all the way around the end of the ditch will be taken at each traverse of the excavator.

Iftheadvance of the machine were constant and regular, each traverse of the excavator would begin on the thin end of a wedge and end at the thick end, and this thick end would be the measure of two traverses or a complete traverse to and fro. To avoid this,l have devised a peculiar feed-motion. The shaft Ft, Figs. 1, let, and 15,.which communicates motion from the engine G to the propelling truckwheels B, is connected with the engine by means of a shaft, 0, and a pulley, O, thereon which communicates directly with the engine by belt. (Figs. 1 and 2.)

0, Figs. 15 and 16,-represent-s two beveled gear-wheels,joined as one by a sleeve whichis splin'ed to slide longitudinally upon the shaft 0, in order that communication may be had with either edge of a beveled wheel, 0 on shaft F whereby a continuous rotary motion in one direction of the shaft 0 may produce intermittent rotary motion in opposite direc tions to the shaft F; but in general use the backing motion is seldom re quired. Therefore I have only to consider the engagement and disengagement of one wheel 0 with the wheel 0 in advancing and stopping.

0* is the shifter, fitted to slide in the frame longitudinally with shaft 0, and engaging the sleeve of the wheels 0 P is a weighted lever pivoted to a bracket, P, of the main frame A, and connected with the shifter O by a link, P.

1? is a rod fitted to slide in the main frame, and provided with a series of holes, into any one of which the boltof a block, P may enter to secure the block on the rod.

P is a link connecting the block with the lever P, so that through the connections described any motion of the rod P is communicated to the wheels 0 to shift them.

P is a bracket secured upon the rod P, to move therewith.

Q is a nut having asegment ofscrew-thread adapted to engage ascrew, Q, on the shaft 0, and pivoted at Q to the bracket P.

Q is a spring, which presses the nut Q in the direction ofthe curved arrow ainto engage ment with the screw 0 R is apawl pivoted at one end to a bracket, R, and provided with two side rollers, R one of which is adapted to engage a hook, Qfion the nut Q, and the other is adapted to roll on an adjustable rail, R having in it a rising incline, R. The bracket R is fitted to slide on a rail, R and is connected with a rod,.R by which it is operated, the rod B being connected with rod L (see Fig. 4) by a link, R, an elbow-lever, R, a rod, R, and an elbowlever. The general'connection is shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and'the details on a larger scale in Figs. 15 and 16. y

In service the lug L is operated by the pins J 6 at each traverse of the excavator, as before described. The elbow-lever is double, each end connecting with a rod, R there being two rods, R, and two sets throughout of the devices operating on the one nut Q. The screw 0 revolves continually in the direction to move the nut in the direction of the arrow 2; but in the normal position of the nut Q, the threads of the nut and screw are out of engagement, as shown in Fig. 16. Now, when the rod L, Fig. 4, is shifted either way, one of the pawls R engages the hook Q" and carries it in the direction of the right-hand arrow in Fig. 16", until one of the rollers R'iruns up the incline R", which disengages the other roller from the hook Q". leaving the nut free to be sprung into the screw, as shown on the left of Fig. 16. In thus carrying back the nut Q one of the wheels 0 is, by means of the connections described, engaged with the wheel 0 and the machine set to feeding or slowly propelling itself forward; .but the nut Q, being engaged with the screw, is slowly withdrawing the same wheel'O from engagement. When this disengagement takes place, the advance of the machine is stopped, while the excavator continues to complete the circuit of the end of the ditch. When it reaches the side thereof, a pin, J, Fig. 4, actuates the ,rod 'L to shift the elbow-lever and its attachments, whereby the other pawl R engages the nut Q and sets the machine to advancing, as before. The rods R are longitudinally adjustable to move the incline R2 so as togive the nut more or less range on the screw, thereby advancing the machine to take larger or smaller cuts. \Vhen one pawl R goes back with the nut, the other rides forward over the incline of the hook Q into position for service in its turn. When the pawl begins pulling on the hook Q". it first tips the nut back to a rest on the shoulder P of the bracket P, thus holding the nut-thread above the screw-thread while passing over it. The action of either pawl is the same-that is, to draw the nut back and drop it into engagement with the screw.

S, Figs. 1 and 2, represents a short belt or apron placed beneath the delivery of the excavator-scoops, revolved by beveled gears S, Fig. 2, connecting with the shaft of wheel I, to carry the earth to one side upon a delivery belt, S.

S represents a pair of side boards, to guide the dirt upon the belt S The belt S is driven by the roller S at its outerend, so that its action its upper end. The roller S has a beveled gear engaging a beveled guide-wheel, S, on

ashaft S", which is provided with auniversal joint, S"- The shaft alsoslides endwise ion a spline through the wheel S, by which means the shaftmay receiverotary motion through theuniversaljointwhile out of line, and -the shaft slides out and in to accommodate the. varying position of the end of the deliverybelt. This varying is caused from the factthat the excavator constantly delivers at one side, and-that delivery changes position as the excavator works from side to side of the ditch, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The inner-end of the shaft S is provided with a beveled gear, which receives power from a shaft, S*, which I is geared with the shaft before described.

u from side to side. v

The frame-a of the delivery-beltS is carried at its outer end by a bail, a, Fig. 3, hung upon an outrigger, a, of the frame A, audit is fittedto slide out and in through the bail. The inner end of frame a is journaled at. a, Fig. '1, ona vertical pivot in the frame H of the excavator, so that its'outer end may remain in theyoke while the excavator 'turns The earth which is dug from ditches is usually sticky and will not fall by gravity from the scoops. On this account Lhave d'evised means for forcibly clearing the scoop at each revolution of the chain of scoops. The back b, Fig. 10, of each scoop is centrally pivoted between the sides, .and the rear endof the scoop is a quadrant of a cylinder concentric with the pivot b and of equal radius with the back 12, so that the back in, revolving within the scoop scrapes the earth therefrom. Each end of the back'b is provided with a latch, b having one notch,-b*, adapted to be held by a "spring catch, 0, to keep. the back in place while earth is'being scraped up and carried and another notch,'b in an'end of the latch which projects from the back. 0 is a catch pivoted at one endto the frame H of the excavator, and provided with a pin at the other end, located in the path of the latch b to engage the notch b asthe scoop passes on its revolutions. This catch cis located over the short belt S, Fig. 1, and by catching the latch b it first unhooks the same from the spring 0; and as the scoop continues advancing the forward end of the back is retained, causing its rear end to sweep up through the scoop, clean- 1 ing the same over the belt S, the scoop being inverted at this time as it passes down over the upper roller, H. As the back b swings outward, the catch c turns on its pivot, and when the outer end of the back passes its center the catch a is caused to hold to it and follow it by a telescoping brace, c c,'prov ided with a spring, 0". This brace is pivoted at one end tothe frame H and at the other end to the catch 0. The catch cholds the latch 12'' until the back is thereby completely inverted,

andat the instant the opposite latch 12 eugages the spring 0 the catch cis released by T the notch b being inverted. As each scoop passes the catch a, the above-described operoted end d ation is repeated. In passing oversmall pulleys the two pivots d d, by which the scoop is attached to the chain H, arebrought closer together than when-the chain is straight. To accommodate this,- I connect the pivot d,Fig.

11, with the scoop by means of a link, diwhich is pivoted to the scoop at d. Thus the vpivmay swing, 'as shown in dotted lines.

o What I claim as myinvention, and desire to I ing machine, and provided with segmental gears E, of a pinion, E vertically pivoted to gaging the same, and means for revolving the pinion by hand, substantially as shown and described.

3,. The combination oftwocentrally-pivoted trucks, B, each provided'with a' toothed segment, E, a pinion, E pivoted between and engaging the two segments, a shaft, E, beveled gears E, engaging the said shaft and pinion,

a hand-lever, E, and a pawl and ratchet, E engaging the'lever and shaft, substantially as shown and described;

' the machine between thetwo segmentsand en- I oo 4. The combination of two wheels, B, jour-' naled one ahead of the other, the truck"B,

means for turning the truck from side to side, a spur-wheel, F, on the wheel B, a pinion, F, gearedtherewith and journaled in the truck,

-mounted on said journals andpivoted cen-. trally to'a ditching-machine at either side, and

a beveled gear, F journaled in the frame of the machine, ashaft, F, forming a connecting-link with auengine, a shaft, F provided with universal joints F and a'telescoping splinedjoint, F, connecting. the wheel F with the shaft of the pinion'F', substantiallyas shown and described.

5. The combination of a frame, A, forward trucks, B, secured thereto, a series of scoops,

H, secured on a chain, the chain mounted on rollers H, j ournaled in a frame, H extending below the frame A, a rear truck, 0, a frame, 0, fitted to slide Vertically in the frame A, and means for raising and lowering the frame A on said truck, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of aserie's of excavatorscoops, H, secured on a chain, the chain mounted on rollers H, journaled in a frame, H, the frame H verticallyjournaled in a main frame, A, upon-a shaft, J, a semicircular segmentalwheel, J", mounted on the shaft J, and

provided with pins J at each extremity of its arc, a pinion, J engaging thesegment, a shaft,

K, connected to be driven by an engine, a pair of beveled gears, K, loosely splined upon shaft K, shafts J and J, connecting the shaft of the pinion J with the wheels K, a shifter, L, engaging the wheels K, a rod, L, provided with a lug, L, in the path of the pins J, and connections, substantially as described, between the rod L and the shifter L substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, "with the segment J having the pins J, the shaft K and their connections, of the beveled gears K loosely splined on the shaft K, the shifter L, engaging the sleeve of the gears K the springs L on the shifter, the rod L, provided with the lug Lin the path of the pins J, the double wedge M, the lever L, and the connections described, as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination of the shifter L the springs L, secured thereon and provided with wings M the lugs H", fixed in the path of the wings, the double wedge M, having the shouldered block M in the path of the springs L, and the weighted lever L", connected with the wedge by a link, M, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination, with the frame A and the screw 0 fixed therein, of the frame 0", fitted to slide therein and mounted ona truck, 0, a toothed wheel, 0, journaled in the frame 0 and internally screw-threaded to fit upon the screw G a shaft provided with a pinion, O, engaging the wheel 0, and a bevel-wheel, N, the bevel-wheel N and means for rotating it to and fro, a shaft, N, provided with gearwheels adapted to engage the wheels N and N", and mounted in a frame, N, hung to the main frame, a hand-lever, N and connections between it and frame N, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. The combination of the screw-threaded ,shaft 0 and means connecting it with the enpivoted upon the bracket and provided with screw-threads at one end adapted to engage the screw 0, and with a hook, Q, a rod, R connected with the reversing-gear described, a bracket, R, secured upon the rod R", a pawl, R, pivoted to the bracket and provided with rollers B, one of which is in the path of the hook Q, and rod R adj ustably secured to the frame and provided with the incline R in the path of the other of the said rollers R, subder P and the pawl R, adapted to engage the hook, substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination of the screw 0, the nut pivoted to a sliding portion and provided with a hook, Q, a pawl, R, pivoted to another sliding portion and provided with two rollers, R, and the rod R", having the incline Bf, snbstantially as shown and described.

14. The combination, with the scoop H, having a cylindrical rear end, of the back I), pivoted midway in the scoop concentric with the said rear end, and provided with latches 1), extending outward from the ends of the back, the spring-catch c, and a catch located in the path of the latch, substantially as shown and described.

15. The combination of the scoop H, t e back I), pivoted therein, and provided with latches b, having notches b andb, the. springcatch 0, the catch a, pivoted at one end to the frame, and provided with a pin at the other end in thepath of the notch b, and the telescoping brace c 0 provided with the spring 0, and pivoted at one end to the frame and at the other end to the catch 0, substantially as shown and described.

LOUIS ARSENE DESY.

\Vitnesses:

XV. X. STEVENS,

O. A. PETTIT. 

